


All Bets Are Off

by shopgirl152



Series: Lost Connections Presents: What Came Before [1]
Category: Phineas and Ferb
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkward Flirting, Bets & Wagers, Blushing Phineas, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Holding Hands, Humor, Humorous Ending, Life on the Road, Male-Female Friendship, One Shot, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Friendship, Shy, Shyness, Tentative Flirting, feeling shy, friendship with the potential for more, hand surfing, lead in to swept away, shy Phineas, summer still rocks welcome tour, taking bets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-10-23 04:32:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17676500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shopgirl152/pseuds/shopgirl152
Summary: On the way to their next gig, Phineas and Isabella nervously flirt in the backseat. Meanwhile, Ferb and Buford make a wager as to who will make the first move.





	All Bets Are Off

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, it's time I stopped staring at this story, bit the bullet and posted it. Hope you guys like it; part one of a three part (sort of) Lost Connections mini series.

"So where are we again?" Isabella asked.

"Santa Monica," Ferb answered.

"It's so pretty." Isabella rolled down the passenger side window, letting in the warm summer air.

Phineas glanced up from the book he was reading and smiled. Isabella reclined in the seat across from him with her eyes closed, wearing a contented smile. Her elbow rested lazily on the window ledge, her hair blowing gently in the breeze.

He felt his breath catch in his throat and swallowed an audible sigh. He'd been doing that a lot lately. Ever since they'd started the Welcome Tour. It was odd; him and Isabella had been close growing up, but when they'd entered high school, she stopped hanging around. Sure they were still friends, but it had felt different somehow. Like a weird sort of emotional distance. But when he'd announced his intention to start a band and travel instead of going to college, she jumped at the chance to join in.

That was about three years ago. Now they were closer than ever. Somehow, they'd managed to regain the closeness from when they were children. They'd spent many a night practicing for gigs. Running setlists. Chord changes, lyric changes, standing on one part of the stage versus the other. And the physical contact...

He blushed slightly, holding the book up to his face. Just standing next to her gave him chills. Made his skin tingle and his heart leap into his throat. Sometimes he swore she felt the same way. Just the way she looked at him was enough--

"Phineas?"

He swallowed, hoping the blush wouldn't show. "Yeah?"

"Whatcha readin?" she teased. The blush worsened.

"Um..." _Wasn't it on the outside cover_? "Well, um...it's...uh..." _Why was he stuttering?_

"It's a book on Mathematics."

He noted the flat, unamused tone and laughed, finally comfortable enough to lower the book. "Yeah. It's Baljeet's. He said it was light reading."

"Is it interesting?"

"Not really." He shrugged and closed the book, tossing it on the floor. "What are _you_ doing?"

"Enjoying the warm Santa Monica air." He noticed her elbow hanging slightly outside the window.

"Have you ever tried hand surfing?"

"Hand surfing?" She raised a brow. "What's that?"

"Well..." he racked his brain a moment. "Here." He rolled down his window, sticking an arm out. "You put your arm out the window, hold it parallel to the car and..." he moved his hand up and down in a wave motion. "Hand surfing. You're basically riding the air instead of waves."

Isabella mimicked his movements and smiled. "Ohh...so that's what it's called."

"Put your arm out the window let your hand start surfing ain't no thing if a thing ain't working," he sang. He started as something touched his hand.

"Oh! Sorry. I didn't mean..." Isabella blushed furiously, turning her gaze out the window.

Phineas looked down, realizing his hand was resting on the seat between them. Isabella's hand rested near her side. He cautiously leaned across the seat, grasping it in his own. Isabella turned and he offered her a warm smile, giving it a squeeze. "It's okay. I don't mind."

"Hey, we're gonna fill up the mustang and get some groceries. Either one of ya..." Buford trailed off as he turned in the front passenger seat. Phineas and Isabella were holding hands across the backseat, their eyes locked on each other. Buford rolled his eyes as he got out, motioning to the backseat. "Do ya see that?"

Ferb discreetly glanced into the backseat as he headed for the convenience store and smiled.

"How long they gonna keep dancin around each other? It's gotta be obvious to both of 'em by now."

"You'd be surprised what happens when love's involved. Give it time." Ferb opened the door, ushering the drummer inside.

"Wanna bet?" Ferb turned to him, cocking an interested brow. "I bet ya ten bucks Phineas makes the first move before we hit Pensacola."

"Twenty bucks says Isabella makes the first move. And..." Ferb held up a finger for emphasis. "She does it in Pensacola."

"You're on."

* * *

 

_Three months later, Florabama Bar, Pensacola Florida_

"I'm doing it Ferb. Tonight, after the show, I'm asking Isabella out."

The bassist dropped the cymbal he was holding, cringing at the loud clang that reverberated throughout the bar. "What?"

"I said 'tonight after the show, I'm asking Isabella out.'"

"What brought this on?"

"Yeah Dinnerbell; I thought ya said you two were permanently in the friend zone," Buford added as he walked up.

"I did. But lately, my feelings for her have been getting stronger and stronger and, well, she's never asked anybody else out and if I don't do something--"

"Someone else will." Buford smirked. "Took ya long enough."

"What took long enough?" Isabella asked, walking up. She looked between the three men. "Hey guys. What's going on?" Neither one answered. "Oo...kaayy..." she pointed over her shoulder. "We're all set; the bar owner said we have everything we need for the show tonight. We just need to make sure we get paid before we leave."

"Absolutely." Phineas nodded.

"Umm, Phineas?" Isabella suddenly looked nervous. "Would you like to get a drink with me before the show? Just the two of us?"

"WHAT?!" Buford exclaimed.

Ferb snickered.

The drummer quickly recovered. "I...need ta check the drums. Not sure the bar owner set 'em up properly." He scurried backstage, Ferb trotting at his heels.

"Well that was weird," the lead vocalist mused. He shrugged at the odd reaction, turning his attention back to Isabella. "Sorry. To answer your question, I'd love to get a drink with you. But...why just the two of us? Buford and Ferb are part of the band too."

"Because if you're not going to make the first move, then I am." Isabella refrained from rolling her eyes at the red head's puzzled expression. "Phineas, I'm asking you out. On a date. Do you want to go out for drinks with me before the show or not?"

"Date?" He blinked at her, realization dawning. "Isabella, I would _love_ to go on a date with you."

Across the way, Buford and Ferb watched the pair gaze into each other's eyes before walking off. The bassist extended an open hand to the drummer, rubbing the tips of his fingers together expectantly.

Buford growled, pulling his wallet from his shorts pocket and opening it. "Alright fine." He pulled a twenty from it, slapping it into Ferb's open palm. "Here's your lousy twenty bucks."

**Author's Note:**

> So the end of this story is a lead in to the prologue of my story Lost Connections. Anyway, that's all for now; look for the next story (Smitten) on Thursday!


End file.
